Yes, I’m a fan! Proof of this can be found in the bookcase in our house. You’ll find a copy of The Christopher Robin Story Book (first published in 1929) and a compilation of stories and poems from the works of A. A. Milne (received as a school prize many, many years ago). Other authors have written books about animals. Think of the Beatrix Potter series and the Br’er Rabbit stories of Joel Chandler Harris. And in more modern times, those about the bear with the blue coat and red hat, Paddington, who has his own statue at the London railway station where he first arrived in England.
The Humanness of the Hundred Acre Wood Inhabitants
All of these tales have their own attraction. But to me, the appeal of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends is that they are human (and I know this is a strange term to use as a description). The inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood (a real wooded area close to the Milne family home in Hartfield, Sussex), are fallible. They make mistakes, they suffer disappointments, and they have habits (eating honey) which are hard to break. In other words, they display the good and not-so-good qualities which human beings possess. Christopher’s toys are, in one sense, a miniature human society and he has determined their strengths and weaknesses, how they function as a group, how they support each other, and particularly how they enjoy the simple joys which life brings.
One of the reasons the Winnie-the-Pooh stories’ popularity has remained constant is due to Milne’s skill in transforming what he observes into words on the page. He sees his son creating personalities for each of his much-loved toy animals and placing them in surroundings that the father and son know well. It’s somewhat ironic that this father had already made a name for himself as a playwright and novelist because those successes were eclipsed by the creation of the stories built around Christopher and his toys. (The real Christopher Robin Milne as an adult found the attention which the books brought him hard to bear. In the public’s eye he remained forever a little boy).
The Oral Tradition and Children’s Literature
With the plethora of animal characters we now have in books, films, and television programmes for children, we tend to forget that in centuries past, animals in tales intended to be read to young people were not generally friendly or amenable! I say stories for narration to children and not children’s literature because these tales came out of an oral tradition. Children’s literature (meaning writing which children can read for themselves), comes much later.
For there to be books for children to read unaided presupposes that a child has learned to read, which in turn presupposes a school system which provides a learning environment for all young people. (Upper Canada introduced legislation towards a mandated school system in 1846. In England the date was 1870). For many centuries, particularly in England and Europe, the opportunity for learning to read was the privilege of the wealthy and limited to boys. There were some exceptions of families whose daughters were allowed to share lessons with their brothers, but this was not the norm.
Animals Are So Often Unfriendly in Fairy Tales
As regards animal friendliness:
- Goldilocks was apprehensive of the bear family whose home she entered and whose food she ate. The bears felt equally uncertain about the little girl.
- The wolf in Little Red Riding Hood is definitely not friendly and in the original version of the tale does devour the youngster.
This uncertainty and outright fear of some animals stems from the moralistic nature of the early versions. Little Red Riding Hood is warned not to go into the woods by herself when darkness falls. She ignores this warning and suffers the ultimate fate, since children must always obey their parents. Charles Perrault, who compiled the first printed collection of fairy tales in 1697 (known in English as Mother Goose), even included a poem at the end of each story detailing what one should learn from the selections. These included Cinderella, Puss in Boots and – another gory setting – Bluebeard!
The Joys of Winnie-the-Pooh Stories
I would never associate anything threatening or fearsome with Pooh Bear and his friends. In their own world they celebrate life, its mysteries, and its pleasures. They enjoy being on the bridge, holding sticks. The sticks are thrown into the water and they cheerfully change their position so they can spot whose stick appears first. They attempt to decipher the messages which Christopher Robin leaves and wonder where he is and what he does when he cannot come to the wood. Their society members are respected and cherished for who and what they are, even though their behaviour can be irritating at times. Tigger can bounce so, and Pooh cannot resist a jar of honey, no matter what the time of day!
Maybe I’ve been “preaching to the choir” in this piece and know that you will buy tickets for our holiday presentation. If you don’t know Pooh and Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Owl and Rabbit (plus Rabbit’s relations), come and make their acquaintance and see their story transferred to the stage at the Pond Playhouse, November 20th to December 6th. I think you’ll make some new friends!
Judy Reade, TAG’s Archivist
This article is originally from TAG’s October 2025 newsletter, part of Judy’s series, The History of TAG – Heading Towards 100 Years (1931-2031). It has been formatted and optimized for posting. Read our full October 2025 Newsletter here.